Mazatlán, the World and Photography from a different perspective............

Monday, January 11, 2010

Church of Nuestra Señora de Fátima Mazatlán

Rectoria de Nuestra Señora de Fátima.

People cannot fail to notice that when they walk into the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in central Mazatlán how the lush golden interior virtually forces you to your knees begging forgiveness. Wherever you sit you come under the gaze of saints many in attitudes of suffering. Suffering brought on by yours and my sins! You cannot help feeling extremely guilty, well I can’t anyway as I rarely venture into a place of worship for anything other than gawp at the art. Catholic devotees like it that Jesus suffered and they like it that all iconography dedicated to him show him to be in extreme pain.

However if you go to the Rectoria de Nuestra Señora de Fátima on the hill in Callejón Corona Col. Montuosa you can witness a 14 meter, beautifully detailed wooden statue of Jesus suffering from wounds like you have never seen before. He has been virtually flayed alive with bones visible and blood running from terrible wounds. This man is a victim like no other. Besides this dramatic sculpture, not much religious iconography is to be seen in this angular concrete building. As a result this large Jesus nailed to an enormous cross has an unexpected impact and virtually takes your breath away and forces all who enter to become completely subservient to the man. He crushes you with your remorse. I had to restrain myself from throwing myself to my knees grovelling and begging forgiveness for anything. All my sins and petty crimes came rushing before my eyes, things I had long forgotten way back.

I fairly sprinted out for fear of an immediate unconscious conversion and handed all my money that I had in my pocket to a surprised Padre Aguilar. That is the idea, I presume from the sculptor who carved this wonderful piece of art. The idea to make all who gaze upon on this sculpture guilty as hell for allowing Jesus Christ to become in such a state of tortured agony. So if you are a serious sinner and desperately need atonement, this is the place to go.